1. Field of the Invention
This invention is related to dispensers and, more particularly, is directed towards a compliance dispenser for oral medication which features a child-proof daily dosage advancing mechanism.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Too little attention has been paid in the art to devices which promote patient compliance with medication treatment regimens prescribed by physicians and designed to be administered in the home. Presently utilized pill and capsule dispensers generally comprise cylindrical containers provided with a child-proof cap and within which the pharmacist places the total prescribed amount of medication along with a label that reflects the prescribed treatment regimen, such as, for example, two capsules every four hours four times a day.
The patient unfortunately frequently has difficulty in remembering from day to day the proper times for taking his medication. This leads to situations where the patient may be taking his medication at time intervals too closely spaced as well as those where a patient may intentionally omit a dosage at a particular time in the fear that he has already taken same. Further, there is the ever-present possibility that a patient may simply unintentionally forget to take the prescribed dosage. It is even conceivable that certain patients might be forgetful enough such that dosages may be inadvertently doubled, or otherwise improperly taken.
The foregoing problems are clearly multiplied in those not infrequent cases when a patient finds himself simultaneously under prescription to two or more different medications. Here it is even more difficult to remember the amounts and times of day to take the various pills and/or capsules.
The foregoing all results from the fact that the presently utilized dispensers provide no means whatsoever to assist the patient in remembering when or if a particular medication should be or has been taken.
It is clear, therefore, that a great need exists for a device which would prevent or at least greatly decrease the possibility of the foregoing and other dosage-taking irregularities from happening.